Good for you then. I don't consider being able to play golf and still be there for a noon softball game all that hectic, but maybe it is for some. But it is nice to still be able to have played golf vs not.
*** the pace of play thread ***
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Last: 4 mo ago by ILikeTacos
My kids play majors. And I don't play much golf.
So maybe you were on to something
So maybe you were on to something
I was coaching those early K-3rd grade rec years. Both played select after that (so not me coaching) but eventually decided spending most weekends on a diamond in 90+ degree heat wasn't their jam.
Course layout, weather, and tee selection all matter a lot too. If the course has long distances between holes, then ride instead of walking. (Unless it's cart path only and you're not very accurate, and then you'd damn well better be walking a cart to speed the round up.) Just as bad are the golfers who should play shorter tee boxes but don't. That's a pace of play killer. Learn your true distances. Move up a tee. If you can't reach the group in front, don't wait until they get off the green to hit.agsalaska said:Makes a huge difference.DannyDuberstein said:
And course familiarity plays a really big role. We've all been playing this course 20+ years, we know every shot out there, we know the greens, etc
And really not so much for your group but for the groups in front of you.
There are very few courses anywhere, public at least, that can average 3:30 in any kind of busy time. My course is private and we dont.
Golf is the greatest game there is for revealing character flaws. Anger management issues? Revealed. Lack of integrity? Revealed. Bad sportsmanship? Revealed. Impatience? Revealed. You can tell a lot about a person based on how they handle themselves on a crowded golf course.
When I'm playing solo on an open golf course, 90 minutes is about normal. When I'm in a group, 4:30 is more typical.
I'm not the fastest player, nor do I try to be. I'm all about letting people play thru when it makes sense and the course is open in front of us.
Lately I've been annoyed by the groups behind that hit their approaches when we're just clearing the green and then RACE to the next tee seemingly without putting. It's one thing if it's an empty course and they're trying to get in position to play thru. However, these instances have been on days where the course is full. There's no where to go, so settle in or go home.
I'm not the fastest player, nor do I try to be. I'm all about letting people play thru when it makes sense and the course is open in front of us.
Lately I've been annoyed by the groups behind that hit their approaches when we're just clearing the green and then RACE to the next tee seemingly without putting. It's one thing if it's an empty course and they're trying to get in position to play thru. However, these instances have been on days where the course is full. There's no where to go, so settle in or go home.
Whoa, did we meet?! I loved those Grapevine tournaments. Unfortunately I had to back off from playing my last year or so in Dallas due to back problems. My last tournament out there was brutal and demoralizing because of it. Took me some time to get back to playing regularly and back to healthy for it.
Edit to add: have had 2 knee surgeries since those Grapevine days as well, so that's hampered my golf over the years. Knock on wood; I've played more this year already than any since at least 2019!
One of my favorite golf memories is chipping in for birdie on the Pecan 9 hole 3. Won a gross and net skin that hole, as it was a tough weather day and no one else in the field birdied it that day!
Edit to add: have had 2 knee surgeries since those Grapevine days as well, so that's hampered my golf over the years. Knock on wood; I've played more this year already than any since at least 2019!
One of my favorite golf memories is chipping in for birdie on the Pecan 9 hole 3. Won a gross and net skin that hole, as it was a tough weather day and no one else in the field birdied it that day!
Ha. No I don't think we ever met in person. Just taking in here and maybe in a PM.
That would have been about 12 years ago.
Really fun times out there.
That would have been about 12 years ago.
Really fun times out there.
You still play out there in the league? It was very well run I thought and a lot of fun. Nice group of golfers to play with as well.
To bring it back to pace of play… I always had pretty good pace at Grapevine I feel. It was a course that was enough out of the way that it didn't get the same slower players traffic that a place like Pecan Hollow got. I think it also helped that there weren't too many holes with adjacent fairways. I think that can slow down the pace of rounds some, as people (ahem, me) can go hit their errant shots rather than have to drop or re tee.
Pecan Hollow was fun, but those glass greens made for slower work on the greens. That's another variable that I don't think has been discussed much.
To bring it back to pace of play… I always had pretty good pace at Grapevine I feel. It was a course that was enough out of the way that it didn't get the same slower players traffic that a place like Pecan Hollow got. I think it also helped that there weren't too many holes with adjacent fairways. I think that can slow down the pace of rounds some, as people (ahem, me) can go hit their errant shots rather than have to drop or re tee.
Pecan Hollow was fun, but those glass greens made for slower work on the greens. That's another variable that I don't think has been discussed much.
No I moved to Bell County Ten years ago now. I play at Wildflower but hardly play at all with two kids in select sports. My daughter is a Sophomore and has D1 soccer in her and my son is 12 and doesn't understand why he cannot just play baseball all day.
I am not a good once or twice a month golfer. I get wayyy too frustrated with that. I have played 9 holes twice this year and that is it. But I will get back into it one day. I miss it. Now I go to the gun range about once a week for my rec time.
The mens league at Grapevine Municipal was fantastic and yes that is a great golf course. Best men's league I have been a part of. We also had a really good gambling group lead by a guy whos name I forget but he played on the OL at Penn State in the early '80s. You could play for a lot or a little. Good group.
Hope you get back out there soon
I am not a good once or twice a month golfer. I get wayyy too frustrated with that. I have played 9 holes twice this year and that is it. But I will get back into it one day. I miss it. Now I go to the gun range about once a week for my rec time.
The mens league at Grapevine Municipal was fantastic and yes that is a great golf course. Best men's league I have been a part of. We also had a really good gambling group lead by a guy whos name I forget but he played on the OL at Penn State in the early '80s. You could play for a lot or a little. Good group.
Hope you get back out there soon
I've played 27 in a two some in 3.5 hours.
Honestly, I don't know how it takes longer than 3.5 hours to play a foursome, especially if you have a cart.
Golf trip a month ago, we played our first round in a little over 3.5 walking 18. Our other group behind us we couldn't see them. We switched up the groups the next day and I teed off on the second hole and one guy said "I see how yall played so fast yesterday." Man I took one practice swing stepped up and hit it. What else do you want me to do?
Honestly, I don't know how it takes longer than 3.5 hours to play a foursome, especially if you have a cart.
Golf trip a month ago, we played our first round in a little over 3.5 walking 18. Our other group behind us we couldn't see them. We switched up the groups the next day and I teed off on the second hole and one guy said "I see how yall played so fast yesterday." Man I took one practice swing stepped up and hit it. What else do you want me to do?
Easy.
1. Don't suck
2. Bet. Especially a progressive bet.
3. Play a decently hard course from a challenging distance. Something over 7100 yards.
4. Have relatively difficult greens.
5. Try to score your best.
1. Don't suck
2. Bet. Especially a progressive bet.
3. Play a decently hard course from a challenging distance. Something over 7100 yards.
4. Have relatively difficult greens.
5. Try to score your best.
What is your handicap?cb1919 said:
I've played 27 in a two some in 3.5 hours.
Honestly, I don't know how it takes longer than 3.5 hours to play a foursome, especially if you have a cart.
Golf trip a month ago, we played our first round in a little over 3.5 walking 18. Our other group behind us we couldn't see them. We switched up the groups the next day and I teed off on the second hole and one guy said "I see how yall played so fast yesterday." Man I took one practice swing stepped up and hit it. What else do you want me to do?
7.9
You can do all that easily under 4 hours
So you don't suck. You're not spending extra time looking for your ball in the rough or taking 3 or 4 shots to get on the green.cb1919 said:
7.9
cb1919 said:
You can do all that easily under 4 hours
No you can't.
I'm gonna politely ask that 80 and above shooters NOT play tees over 7100 yards.
With Respect,
The Groups Behind You
With Respect,
The Groups Behind You
I will ad to that.
I have played in money games since college, mostly with scratch type golfers. Hundreds of them. Usually not too much money but occasionally what I would consider too much money to win/lose gambling.
I can't think of four of those guys that could be put together that could play a reasonably difficult golf course while playing a game in 3.5 hours. That's silly.
I have played in money games since college, mostly with scratch type golfers. Hundreds of them. Usually not too much money but occasionally what I would consider too much money to win/lose gambling.
I can't think of four of those guys that could be put together that could play a reasonably difficult golf course while playing a game in 3.5 hours. That's silly.
Yep. Not gonna happen. ESPECIALLY if the greens are slick.
Man it just doesn't really take that long. I'll give you that 3.5 is a stretch that's just my ideal. People just generally take way too long to play. It should be comfortable under 4 hours to play a round of golf.
Yeah, that's a lot of stipulations to try to get it to take 4.5. At my home course, if you take 4.5 in that first 10-12 tee of tee times, you might get your ass kicked. Lots of highly competitive players playing for $$$ in that section but still doing it sub 4. There's a standing 16-20 player money game right behind us that I'll join if my regular 4 is going to have 2+ missing, and they don't take 4:30. Everything is putted out (obviously).
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
This sums up like 70% of golfers (at least on public courses) in general in my opinion. I know way too many egos that have to play from the tips.DannyDuberstein said:
Yeah, that's a lot of stipulations to try to get it to take 4.5. At my home course, if you take 4.5 in that first 10-12 tee of tee times, you might get your ass kicked. Lots of highly competitive players playing for $$$ in that section but still doing it sub 4. There's a standing 16-20 player money game right behind us that I'll join if my regular 4 is going to have 2+ missing, and they don't take 4:30. Everything is putted out (obviously).
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
My brother and I don't break 100. We just aren't good nor do we have the time to practice enough to get to that point with work and other things we do. We just enjoy going outside and playing. That said, we typically play from the Gold/White tee boxes because we know we're already gonna take several shots to get to the green (or have to look for our ball). Playing from there allows us to at least some times get to Par on a hole lol. Also allows us to usually play in 3.5 hours.
I agree. To be clear though, he said three and a half hours. Not four hours.
I am also speaking generically about reasonably difficult courses with reasonably diffcult greens played from some kind of length. Im sure your course plays faster. A lot of courses do. Course setup is probably the number one factor.
That all being said, I totally agree that the wrong tees cause players to slow courses down. But if a group can play in 4-4:15 they are doing fine from whatever tees they are at. I am not going to scoot up and play from shorter tees so another group can finish in 3:40.
I am also speaking generically about reasonably difficult courses with reasonably diffcult greens played from some kind of length. Im sure your course plays faster. A lot of courses do. Course setup is probably the number one factor.
That all being said, I totally agree that the wrong tees cause players to slow courses down. But if a group can play in 4-4:15 they are doing fine from whatever tees they are at. I am not going to scoot up and play from shorter tees so another group can finish in 3:40.
Example…
Yesterday I played in a 3some at Cypress Lakes. We finished in 3:20… no waiting, relatively simple and compact golf course. Greens were decent, but they were slow.
Our typical courses we play are bigger ballparks (High Meadow, Golf Club of Houston, Cypresswood Tradition, Highland Pines, Woodforest). They also have faster greens. Typically it takes 4-4:15 and we'd NEVER be able to finish those in 3:20, ever.
Yesterday I played in a 3some at Cypress Lakes. We finished in 3:20… no waiting, relatively simple and compact golf course. Greens were decent, but they were slow.
Our typical courses we play are bigger ballparks (High Meadow, Golf Club of Houston, Cypresswood Tradition, Highland Pines, Woodforest). They also have faster greens. Typically it takes 4-4:15 and we'd NEVER be able to finish those in 3:20, ever.
I am not a good player. At one point before kids I was a 12.
That being said, we usually can play in 3.5 hours if we have the course open in front of us. Some courses seem to play faster than others. We really like High Meadow Ranch for that reason. We've rarely run into pace of play issues out there.
My biggest pet peeve about this is when you pull up to the tee and see folks going off the blues or the tips that obviously need to move up. We always play the whites because we know our skill set, or lack thereof.
I will rarely look for a ball that I sent into the trees. I've been behind groups that spent 10 minutes hiking through the woods to try to find one player's ball. Drop one and play on.
That being said, we usually can play in 3.5 hours if we have the course open in front of us. Some courses seem to play faster than others. We really like High Meadow Ranch for that reason. We've rarely run into pace of play issues out there.
My biggest pet peeve about this is when you pull up to the tee and see folks going off the blues or the tips that obviously need to move up. We always play the whites because we know our skill set, or lack thereof.
I will rarely look for a ball that I sent into the trees. I've been behind groups that spent 10 minutes hiking through the woods to try to find one player's ball. Drop one and play on.
Cody
Fightin Texas Aggie c/o 04
Fightin Texas Aggie c/o 04
Wangus I am just looking for a little clarification here.wangus12 said:This sums up like 70% of golfers (at least on public courses) in general in my opinion. I know way too many egos that have to play from the tips.DannyDuberstein said:
Yeah, that's a lot of stipulations to try to get it to take 4.5. At my home course, if you take 4.5 in that first 10-12 tee of tee times, you might get your ass kicked. Lots of highly competitive players playing for $$$ in that section but still doing it sub 4. There's a standing 16-20 player money game right behind us that I'll join if my regular 4 is going to have 2+ missing, and they don't take 4:30. Everything is putted out (obviously).
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
My brother and I don't break 100. We just aren't good nor do we have the time to practice enough to get to that point with work and other things we do. We just enjoy going outside and playing. That said, we typically play from the Gold/White tee boxes because we know we're already gonna take several shots to get to the green (or have to look for our ball). Playing from their allows us to at least some times get to Par on a hole lol. Also allows us to usually play in 3.5 hours.
Should a foursome that is going to average 75, or even say 77, from the tips and finish in 4:15 scoot up and play from closer tees in order to finish faster?
It's an interesting world out there for the bad golfer, especially if you can hit it far when you catch one. I can recall scenarios back before I got serious about lessons where we would play up a set of tees, the stars would align, and I'd drive the green right into a group of guys putting. Then there were scenarios where we'd play back a set, and I'd miss the fairway right and short and have 200 yards in on a par 4. Next hole, there's a group up there about 300 and you think "Okay, I'm probably safe to hit" and you shell them. The following hole, you wait until they clear and you duff it. Aside from just playing forward and not hitting driver, it was always hard trying to know what tee box to play from.
Personally, I think the biggest slow down in golf is people hunting for bad shots. I don't know if it's because the ball is expensive or because they are playing for money or what. Throw in the folks that grossly overestimate how far they hit the ball, and it takes forever. Guy hits his tee shot, pulls it, and is looking for the ball in the woods 350 yards from the green. Guess what? You're not going to find it because you're about 150 yards ahead of where it went in, buddy. Just chalk it up, take a drop, and hit.
We instituted stadium drops for exactly this kind of thing. If you hit a goodish ball that didn't find a hazard or OB and it would have been easily found with spotters or spectators, take a free drop and move on with your life.
Hero shots is another reason rounds take forever. I can't tell you how many time's I've waited on a guy trying to hit a circus shot out the trees only to watch him hit it directly into more trees and then go try it again. Take your medicine, punch out, and then hit a better shot.
Personally, I think the biggest slow down in golf is people hunting for bad shots. I don't know if it's because the ball is expensive or because they are playing for money or what. Throw in the folks that grossly overestimate how far they hit the ball, and it takes forever. Guy hits his tee shot, pulls it, and is looking for the ball in the woods 350 yards from the green. Guess what? You're not going to find it because you're about 150 yards ahead of where it went in, buddy. Just chalk it up, take a drop, and hit.
We instituted stadium drops for exactly this kind of thing. If you hit a goodish ball that didn't find a hazard or OB and it would have been easily found with spotters or spectators, take a free drop and move on with your life.
Hero shots is another reason rounds take forever. I can't tell you how many time's I've waited on a guy trying to hit a circus shot out the trees only to watch him hit it directly into more trees and then go try it again. Take your medicine, punch out, and then hit a better shot.
Hacks playing $55/dzn ProV1s doesn't help with that.
My comment was more about most people sucking at golf and therefore playing the wrong tees. Not about pace of play.agsalaska said:Wangus I am just looking for a little clarification here.wangus12 said:This sums up like 70% of golfers (at least on public courses) in general in my opinion. I know way too many egos that have to play from the tips.DannyDuberstein said:
Yeah, that's a lot of stipulations to try to get it to take 4.5. At my home course, if you take 4.5 in that first 10-12 tee of tee times, you might get your ass kicked. Lots of highly competitive players playing for $$$ in that section but still doing it sub 4. There's a standing 16-20 player money game right behind us that I'll join if my regular 4 is going to have 2+ missing, and they don't take 4:30. Everything is putted out (obviously).
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
My brother and I don't break 100. We just aren't good nor do we have the time to practice enough to get to that point with work and other things we do. We just enjoy going outside and playing. That said, we typically play from the Gold/White tee boxes because we know we're already gonna take several shots to get to the green (or have to look for our ball). Playing from their allows us to at least some times get to Par on a hole lol. Also allows us to usually play in 3.5 hours.
Should a foursome that is going to average 75, or even say 77, from the tips and finish in 4:15 scoot up and play from closer tees in order to finish faster?
Fair enough
My kind of golfers. I do the same because my average drive is about 210, with an occasional 235. I play from the tees that equate to around 6,000 yards max. If I'm playing as a single and get paired up with another group, I always let them know which tees I'll be playing before anyone hits. More often than not, the rest of the group moves up too. Sometimes all it takes is being the first person to do it. (One guy who moved up from the tips admitted to me that it was the first round he actually enjoyed in years.)wangus12 said:This sums up like 70% of golfers (at least on public courses) in general in my opinion. I know way too many egos that have to play from the tips.DannyDuberstein said:
Yeah, that's a lot of stipulations to try to get it to take 4.5. At my home course, if you take 4.5 in that first 10-12 tee of tee times, you might get your ass kicked. Lots of highly competitive players playing for $$$ in that section but still doing it sub 4. There's a standing 16-20 player money game right behind us that I'll join if my regular 4 is going to have 2+ missing, and they don't take 4:30. Everything is putted out (obviously).
The #1 killer of pace of play is playing the wrong tees. But there are a lot of bad golfers that have too much pride to move forward of the One-Ups. It's a shame because they'd probably have more fun
I have a shorter, easier list to take 4.5 hours:
1. Do suck
2. Play the wrong tees
My brother and I don't break 100. We just aren't good nor do we have the time to practice enough to get to that point with work and other things we do. We just enjoy going outside and playing. That said, we typically play from the Gold/White tee boxes because we know we're already gonna take several shots to get to the green (or have to look for our ball). Playing from their allows us to at least some times get to Par on a hole lol. Also allows us to usually play in 3.5 hours.
Good for you. I make it a point to never tee shame anyone. Tee it forward. Have fun. Keep up.
A couple of weeks ago, I played 18 with my two golf buddies. There was no one in front of us and the group behind us was barely keeping up. When we got done, I saw that we played in 4.5 hours and one of my buddies commented "Well, that's not bad!" I came within an inch of losing it!
I know they're not as good as the previous iterations but Costco has their Kirkland balls on sale right now for $20. I play just as poorly with better balls so no need to spend more money when I'm just going to donate them to the golf course eventually.DannyDuberstein said:
Hacks playing $55/dzn ProV1s doesn't help with that.
Try lostgolfballs.com if you do want to get proVs. Can get 48 Mint condition proVs for $105 and free shipping, so basically 55% cheaper.
But yeah, hard for some to give up looking for a $5 ball
But yeah, hard for some to give up looking for a $5 ball
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